Palmata Hybrid Fig Tree
An interesting hybrid of Ficus carica and Ficus palmata that we were gifted years ago and finally decided to propagate after enough customers expressed interest in it. This one is a caprifig, (caprifigs are male figs that do not produce delicious figs) and possibly the same clone as the USDA’s DFIC 0023 (update!: a customer who has grown out DFIC 23 here in Oregon has informed us that it does indeed produce edible figs, so this is a different clone than that one). It could be useful as a rootstock due to its extreme vigor, or useful for breeding a new fig with a bit more palmata in its blood. Though Ficus palmata is usually not as cold hardy as Ficus carica, we’ve found this one to survive our Zone 8 winters just fine.
One of the easiest fruits to grow, and a true gourmet delight, you should not live your life without feasting on this sweet, delectable fruit. To fully enjoy fresh Figs you must grow your own. When fully ripe and at their tender, shipping them long distances is virtually impossible. Another plus for Figs – deer don’t like them (most of the time)!
Click here to read our Fig Growing Guide.
Latin Name: Ficus carica x palmata
Site and Soil: Figs do well in a variety of soils, but require at least 8 hours of sunlight during the growing season.
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Hardiness: Hardy to at least 10° F.
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Size at Maturity: 8-12 ft in height, smaller with pruning.
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Ripening Time: Early August-October
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Pests & Diseases: Figs are not bothered by pests in our region. Cover plants with netting if birds are a problem.
Fig Mosaic Virus is a benign virus that exists in all cultivated fig trees. Yellow spotting of the leaves is a cosmetic symptom that shows more in container culture, but is quickly outgrown once trees are planted in the ground. The presence of FMV in all cultivated figs has become widely accepted, as even the national germplasm repository for figs maintained by the USDA has Fig Mosaic Virus. If the presence of FMV is a concern, then purchasing fig trees may not be the best option for you.
USDA Zone: 8 at least